This week, I sat on the phone with tech support and thought over and over about the things I could have done while I was sitting there - waiting - not living my life.
Are you "on hold" in your life?
Are you waiting for your husband or wife to join you or treat you better? Are you waiting for motivation to tidy up your home? Are you waiting for a great job to fall into your lap? Are you waiting to win the lottery to plan for your retirement?
Stop waiting for your life! The only difference between you and the people who get what they want is that they kept moving, and you didn't. Here are some ideas to help you get started again.
Focus on whom, not what.
If you find yourself stuck on a goal for a while, try restating it with "who I am" instead of "what I want." For example, instead of “I want to lose 30 pounds,” say “I'm someone who takes care of myself by keeping my weight around, which is a healthy range for my height and age.” Be as specific as possible. Note that "I want to be someone who helps others" can mean anything from a grocery store clerk to a heart surgeon. Focus on who you want to be. Then ask yourself what actions would correspond to your desire to "be" instead of "get."
Analyze it.
Did you know that a full 80% of your problems come from 20% of your life? It is true! Find out what the 20% is that affects your life so much and start working on making it happier, more efficient and more fulfilling.
Assign a value.
A big mistake I see in my coaching clients is not placing real value on your time, your energy, your money, and the "real estate" (space) of your home or office. Realize that for everything you say yes to—from a pair of shoes to a movie—you've said no to something else. Always ask yourself – is this *valuable* enough to me to fill my life, or even to come across something else from my wardrobe, my schedule, my money?
Establish routines.
I know you have "pizza night" - so why not "clean up the night" or "clean up the room" too? Like pizza night, routines appear in your life in all sorts of ways. Although it sounds boring and limiting, routines are actually liberating. Likewise, you don't have to think about pizza for dinner, instead of worrying on Monday morning wondering if you forgot to pay your car insurance, you'll feel at ease knowing you always go to the bank on Friday. In the afternoon, and pay the bills on Wednesday. Evening Routines relieve stress.
Accept the ability to control.
We've all heard the denial from political doctors. I would like to introduce the concept of "controllability" into your everyday life. You can't control world politics, but you can vote. You can't control terrorism, but you can be prepared in your own home. You can't control construction crews on the highway, but you can control how much time you allow for the trip. Knowing what you can control and practicing it, and let go of what you can't put you in the driver's seat of your life.
Feeling good about yourself comes naturally when you stop waiting and start creating the life you really want to live. Stress and frustration will be reduced when you make decisions instead of being pushed. You will experience a greater sense of self-acceptance, and self-improvement will become easier and easier.
Stop waiting, start today!
======================
You must be logged in to post a comment.